HEALTH

NHS Charges

Rosie Winterton: We have laid before the House regulations to increase the income level at which people are entitled to full remission of national health service charges, payment of travel costs, national health service sight tests and optical vouchers, that is full help through the national health service low-income scheme. Currently, people are entitled to full help through this scheme when their income is equal to, or less than, their requirements. From 6 April 2004, people will be entitled to full help if their income exceeds their requirements by up to 50 per cent. of the prescription charge. This will mean that people whose income is only marginally above income support level will now be entitled to full help.
	Entitlement to income-based help with health costs in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administrations.

Arm's Length Bodies

John Reid: Two new regulatory bodies, which will operate at arm's length from the Department, come into being on 1 April: the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) and the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). A third regulatory Body, the Office of the Independent Regulator (OIR) came into being in January this year. The inception of these new bodies will change the Department's role in the provision and inspection of healthcare and social services. The effects that this will have on accountability arrangements are set out below.
	The role of the OIR is to authorise, monitor and regulate National Health Service foundation trusts (NHSFTs). The Independent Regulator is directly accountable to Parliament, and the Department will not be able to comment on the details of the OIR's day to day management. For any questions that might arise in this area, we would provide information on the Independent Regulator's behalf, but not directly.
	NHSFTs are themselves independent of the Department, and are directly accountable to their local populations and to Parliament. Because of this independent status, and NHSFTs' separate and local route of accountability, we will no longer be in a position to comment on, or provide information about, the detail of operational management within such trusts. Any such questions will be referred to the relevant NHSFT chairman.
	Notwithstanding these changes, matters of national policy (including the statutory framework for the NHS, and its resources, standards and targets) will of course remain the responsibility of the Department. We will therefore continue to respond directly on these issues. We will also continue to respond directly on the services commissioned by the NHS locally, as these remain the responsibility of primary care trusts.
	As with the OIR, CHAI and CSCI are independent of the Department. We will therefore provide information to Members on behalf of these bodies about their activities, but not directly. Two areas of their operations warrant particular notice. The Department has traditionally had much a closer involvement in the (performance) star ratings system. From 1 April, it will be CHAI's and CSCI's responsibility to devise the form of performance ratings, and their criteria and methodology. The Department will approve the criteria devised.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Service Charges

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has carried out a review of the basis for charging for a number of plant health, plant varieties and animal health services that it provides. Invoicing for the services concerned was suspended whilst the review was completed.
	The review focused on whether the legislative basis for making charges for these services was adequate. The conclusion is that for the following services the legislative basis was not sufficient to allow the Department to impose a charge:
	Plant Health
	Export certificates for plants and plant products
	Seed potatoes: approved stock scheme
	Seed potatoes: fees for inspection of pre-basic seed potatoes
	Seed potatoes: fees for investigation of complaints
	Plant Varieties and Seeds
	Provisional seed certification scheme
	Seed samplers' and crop inspectors' examinations
	Examination of seed analysts
	Additional costs of meeting statutory consent conditions for GM crop varieties in national list trials
	OECD /ISTA certification
	Purity and germination tests
	Special tests for distinctness, uniformity and stability
	Animal Health
	Certain aspects of the Poultry Health Scheme
	Factory Inspection Scheme
	Additional animal health certification issued in connection with the Classical Swine Fever outbreak in 2000.
	A parallel review of Forestry Commission services has found that the legislative base for export charges of forest trees and forest products was not sufficient to impose a charge. Invoicing for this service was also suspended whilst the review was completed.
	Action will now be taken to repay to customers some £2.4 million of charges that were levied over the six years prior to the suspension of charging. To take this forward, the Department and the Forestry Commission will be writing over the coming weeks to those organisations and individuals who are to be repaid.
	Where required, work is underway to introduce the necessary legislation for future charging for the services affected.
	The review concluded that the necessary legal base was in place to allow charging for plant health propagation scheme services provided by the Department. Charging for this service will recommence from this coming season.
	John B

TRANSPORT

Highways Agency

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency's 2004–05 business plan is published today and contains seven key targets for the Agency to deliver by 31 March 2005. These are:
	
		
			 Indicator 2004–05 Target 
		
		
			 1. Deliver the programme of improvements to the strategic road network. Achieve:— At least 440 progress points for the M1, M6 and M25 schemes, compared to 2003–04 forecast score of 250.— At least 95 per cent. of the major schemes progress points required to reach the score of 6,500 compared to the 2003–04 forecast score of 4,590.— Complete 20 of 26 priority action sites at junctions. 
			 2. Deliver a demonstrable reduction in incident-related congestion and minimisation of road works-related congestion. In establishing the Regional Control Centres (RCCs), achieve:— West Midlands RCC and traffic officers commence service. Achieve 92 of 100 points.— 140 of 155 progress points for all other RCCs and traffic officers.Establish and implement a management system to monitor and report on incident-related congestion in the West Midlands. 
			 3. Make information available to influence travel behaviour and inform decisions. — Make publicly available by March 2005—and maintain thereafter—traffic information for the Agency's network through a website and a dedicated voice recognition interactive telephone service.— Provide by March 2005—and maintain thereafter—on the Agency's motorway network, strategic route advice using the variable message signs (VMS) available, for all incidents causing more than 15 minutes predicted delay, and monitor its accuracy. 
			 4. Deliver the Agency's agreed proportion of thenational target. By 2010 reduce by a third (i.e. to 3,327) the number of people killed/seriously injured on trunk roads compared with the 1994–98 average of 4,991. Reduce by at least 832 to 4,159. 
			 5. Maintain the network in a safe and serviceable condition. Achieve a road surface condition index score of 100 ±1 
			 6. Mitigate the potentially adverse impact of strategic roads and take opportunities to enhance the environment taking into account value for money. Achieve at least 95 per cent. across the five sub targets:— Air Quality: Improve quality of at least two air quality management areas (AQMA) sites.— Biodiversity: Achieve at least 5 per cent. of the Agency's Biodiversity Action Plan extending across 15 priority targets.— Landscape: Introduce no less than four planning schemes.— Noise: Treat at least 50 lane km of concrete road surface with lower noise surfacing.— Water: Treat at least five outfalls identified as posing a pollution risk to watercourses. 
			 7. Deliver a high level of road user satisfaction. Achieve from the road user satisfaction survey an average annual score of at least 85 per cent. for motorways and at least 80 per cent. for trunk roads. 
		
	
	Explanatory notes against each of these indicators are provided in the business plan, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Maghaberry Prison

Paul Murphy: I wish to announce that with effect from 31 March 2004, in accordance with the powers conferred on me by Rule 5(1) of the Prisons and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, part of Maghaberry prison site, formerly the site of Maze prison, is removed from within the boundaries of Maghaberry prison. The area to be removed is indicated on the site map, which I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses, by the words
	"area to be removed from the site of Maghaberry prison".

Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

Ian Pearson: The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland Annual Report and statement of accounts for 2002–03 has been deposited in the Library of the House today.

DEFENCE

Business Process Review of Defence Housing

Ivor Caplin: I announced in July 2003 that the Ministry of Defence was conducting a business process review of the management and delivery of Defence housing, 2 July 2003, Official Report, column 20WS. The Review has been completed and I have placed a copy of the final report in the Library of the House.
	This work has been part of a coordinated approach to the future direction of defence housing. It supports detailed work to improve accommodation through the defence housing strategy that, as set out in the Defence White Paper: "Supporting Essays", will direct the future provision of housing for service personnel and their families worldwide. It also takes forward work from earlier internal and cross-departmental studies. The Review has focused primarily on delivery and management of Defence housing in mainland UK, but it includes recommendations on our living accommodation overseas that might be considered in the future.
	The main conclusions were that some improvement could be made to the processes involved with the management and delivery of Defence housing. It was also recognised that we could benefit from the synergies within Defence Estates (DE) and the Defence Housing Executive (DHE). A number of recommendations have been made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes and organisations involved in delivery of Defence housing, the most significant of which are:
	DHE and DE will merge from 1 April 2004. Initially DHE will be absorbed into DE as a self- contained business unit but over time Head Office processes will be merged.
	The Chief Executive of DE will become responsible for the delivery of Defence housing in mainland UK.
	To protect the interests of Service personnel and their families a dedicated housing customer care function will be maintained within DE with suitable governance arrangements.
	Initiatives to improve customer care, particularly the housing prime contract for England and Wales, will continue.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Household Statistics

Andrew Smith: Today I have published households below average income for 1994–95 to 2002–03. This is a report published under national statistics arrangements with headline results that cover Great Britain. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	The report shows that there has been strong growth across the whole income distribution, and comparing incomes between 1996–97 and 2002–03, the poorest fifth of households have kept up with the strong income growth of middle-income households.
	Steady progress has been made towards the Government's target to reduce by a quarter the number of children living in low-income households by 2004–05.
	Some 700,000 fewer children are living in relative low income compared to 1996–97.
	There has been a more dramatic reduction in children in "absolute" low income and this has now halved since 1996–97, equating to 2.1 million fewer children growing up with their opportunities undermined by acute financial hardship.
	For pensioners below the same fixed threshold, the decline has been around two-thirds, from 2.7 million in 1996–97 to fewer than 1 million in 2002–03, meaning enhanced dignity and security for 1.8 million people during their retirement.

Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance

Des Browne: In a written statement on 4 December 2003, I announced the publication of the Department's second stage and final report of the review of ELCI.
	The report described the work that had been undertaken since June 2003, identified the further actions we intended to take and set these in the context of a strategic approach aimed at improving the efficiency, sustainability and outcomes of the ELCI system.
	A number of initiatives have been put in place to improve the functioning of the ELCI market. In addition we are working immediately to help business by a range of actions.
	I am pleased to announce the publication today of a partial regulatory impact assessment on a proposal to remove the requirement for ELCI from limited companies that employ only their owner (incorporated owners/sole employees). It is estimated that there are about 300,000 such companies.
	The partial assessment seeks the views of employers (in particular incorporated owners/sole traders) and insurers and their representative bodies and other stakeholders (e.g. employees, lawyers) and their representatives on the proposal. The views of the wider public are also welcome.
	Copies of the partial assessment have been placed in the Library.
	We will continue to take forward the initiatives and long-term proposals in the second stage report. We believe that they will continue to deliver significant, sustained improvements within the ELCI market.

Business Plan

Andrew Smith: I am today able to announce the 2004–05 annual performance targets for the rent service, responsibility for which transfers to my Department from 1 April 2004, and the disability and carers service. The targets I have agreed are set out below.
	Further information on the plans of the businesses in 2004–05 is contained in their individual business plans that have been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	The Rent Service
	Service Delivery
	To process 87 per cent. of housing benefit determinations, with an inspection, within 15 working days.
	To process 87 per cent. of housing benefit determinations, without an inspection, within 3 working days.
	To process 87 per cent. of pre-tenancy determinations within 4 working days.
	To process 87 per cent. of redeterminations within 15 working days.
	To process 87 per cent. of fair rent determinations within 40 working days.
	Value for Money
	Productivity: To increase productivity by 1 per cent. by the end of the year compared to last year.
	Costs: To reduce the cost per case by 1 per cent. in real terms by the end of the year.
	Quality: 87 per cent. of local reference rent housing benefit determinations to be upheld on redetermination.
	Quality: 87 per cent. of fair rent valuations to be upheld by judicial review.
	Customer Satisfaction
	To raise the customer satisfaction rating, of satisfactory or better, from 87 per cent. in 2003–04 to 90 per cent. in 2004–05.
	Disability and Carers Service
	
		
			 Business Event Targets for 2004–05 
		
		
			 Decision Making Quality: DLA 90 per cent 
			 Decision Making Quality: AA 90 per cent 
			 Accuracy: CA 95 per cent 
			 Claims—Normal Rules: DLA 39 days 
			 Claims—Normal Rules: AA 24 days 
			 Claims: CA 24 days 
			 Claims—Special Rules: DLA 8 days 
			 Claims—Special Rules: AA 8 days 
			 Renewal claims: DLA 32 days 
			 Renewal claims: AA 23 days 
			 Appeals: DLA 40 days 
			 Appeals: AA 40 days 
			 Appeals: CA 38 days 
		
	
	Note:DLA – Disability living allowance
	AA – Attendance allowance
	CA – Carer's allowance